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Syria: Poet and songwriter killed

English PEN’s Writers in Prison Committee was appalled to learn of the murder on 5 July 2011 of poet and song writer Ibrahim Qashoush, known as ‘the singer of the revolution’. Qashoush’s body was found in a river the day after he had been abducted by Syrian security forces. His throat had been slit. We urge the Syrian authorities to conduct a full and impartial investigation into Qashoush’s death and to bring the perpetrators of the crime to justice.

According to our information, Qashoush was kidnapped on 5 July 2011 from his home in Hama city, north of the capital city of Damascus, by Syrian security forces, following his performance of anti-government songs at a Friday demonstration in the city. His body was found in the Al-Assi river on 6 July 2011 with his throat cut. Qashoush was known for his political songs that were critical of the Syrian authorities and which he had performed regularly to protestors throughout the uprising. One of Qashoush’s songs, ‘Leave us, Bashar’, directly addresses the President and ridicules his talk of reform. Another song, entitled ‘Syria is longing for freedom’, talks of how the Syrian people “will oust Bashar / With our strong will alone”. (Please see Ghias Aljundi’s translation below).

Background

Anti-government protests were sparked in mid- March 2011 and have since spread across the country. Mass arrests have been taking place and security officers have responded to the continuing protests with excessive force, using tear gas and live bullets to disperse demonstrators. Scores of civilians have reportedly been killed and many more wounded.

With the internet and media already severely curtailed in recent years, the Syrian authorities have imposed even greater restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly in reaction to recent events. Foreign reporters and correspondents have been asked to leave the country and access to any independent media is denied.

PEN is alarmed about the reported mass arrests and disappearances of civilians including journalists, bloggers, writers and activists in the crackdown on peaceful anti-government protests, and continues to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those currently detained in Syria in violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Syria is a signatory.

An excerpt of Ibrahim Qashoush’s poem ‘Syria is longing for freedom’ follows, translated from the Arabic by Ghias Aljundi:

Syria is longing for freedomSyria is demanding freedomWe will oust Bashar With our strong will alone

We are Muslims and ChristiansDemanding freedomGreetings to Daraa cityWho started this peaceful uprising

When we demanded freedomThey called us terrorists When we demanded our rights backThey called us fundamentalists

It is written on our national flag that Bashar has betrayed the nationIt is written on our flag thatOur aim is bring the regime downIt is written on our flagThat Syrian state-owned media is damned Death rather than humiliationSyria is looking for freedom

– Condemning the murder of poet and song writer Ibrahim Qashoush;– Urging the Syrian authorities to ensure that a full and impartial investigation is conducted into the killing, and that Qashoush’s killers be brought to justice. – Condemning the widespread arrest of journalists and bloggers for reporting on the recent protests, which the WiPC believes is a clear violation of their right to freedom of expression;– Calling on the Syrian authorities to investigate allegations of torture of detainees; – Calling for the release of all those currently detained in violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Syria is a signatory.

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